Rodent trap



Filed March 25, 1946 7 75772 /fza N l f5 fz .a5/off @w25/"222 ze Zu rfa 5 Patented Oct. 24, 1950 ,UNITED STATES `PA'I'ENT IFFTICE 2 Claims. 1

The vpresent -invention relates to improvements in rodenttraps and moreparticularly to an automatic self-resetting trap.

-One vof the objects `thereof is to provide a simple and Vinexpensive rodent trap so shaped, arranged and'designedthat it willifunction automatically at ali'timeswhen the actuating parts thereof are engaged by ya rodent to imprison the latter, and further automatically operate itself, a'fterthe'rodent has been imprisoned, to'set itself so as tofbe ready'for another operation, neces- Hsitating only placing ofbaitupon its .bait holder.

A further object thereof isto provide a rodent 'trapping mechanism, all Vparts o'f -which yare nrendered foolproof dueto the circumstance that they allact in time with one another.

A still :further `object-thereof is fto 'provide a newfform of rodentiimprisioning trap wherein use "is made of lcounterweig'hts which functionlto se't as'Well as reset the trap.

Another A'importantfobject thereof is to provide,

in al device of Ithecharacter described, improved Ymeans for easing the releaseof fthe rodent trap vdoor by requiring a lminimum of frictional engagement between 'the `various moving parts of the means 'for actuating the'same.

A iinalob'jectfthereof istoproVidein afdevice -of lthe kinddescribed, limprovedrneans for-suspendingly supporting fthe fbait holder over :the "trap door of the device lsoit'may have a universally -free'motion when engaged by a rodent.

With the above andother objects in viewmy invention consists in the'combination arrangement and detailsof construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more partifcdlarly :pointed out in `the -appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein lsimilar reference characters:designateesimilar;partsthroughout the respective views,

.Figure lis a top plan view of my invention, "Figure .2 is a 'fragmental detail longitudinal .section thereof, and

Figure 3 is a fragmental elevation of the bait holding parts thereof.

Referring to the drawings, which are merely illustrative of my invention, the various parts thereof are detailed. It is designed to trap rodents such as rats and mice in the present apparatus by encasng them for the purpose of imprisoning them in a suitable receptacle so that the force employed in operating the movable parts thereof, instead of violently crushing the rodent to prevent its escape from the trap, is

used to expeditiously deposit them into the ini 2 terior of the receptacle, and as expeditiously lto close the 'trap door after them.

In carrying this into eiiectythe case Aor box I0 is shown to have the imprisoning wallI'I; and' top I2, and a bottom, Vnot shown. Thetop I2fof the case has a large opening over its effective area indicated at I2|a, which is preferably rectangular.

Adapted to bar or close this opening by Vfitting thereinto snugly is'atrap door I3 also of rectanguiar construction, which door, inclosed position, is anked by Ithe marginal "stripportions I5 of the case top I2.

Opposite one end of thetrap'door I3 apart I4 of the top I2 ofthe case carries the `control mechanism of the trap door. VThe trap door`l3 4is movably mounted upon the topofthe casein-such a'manner that it may be dropped with VAitslsuperincumbent rodentinto the interiortof theY case at the time that the rodent engages the bait. A

`pair of oppositely'arranged hinge `plates I5a and I6 are attached yby screws I9 to the underiace of the top I2 of the case I0. A guide plate II projects ata slight vforward inclination into r'the interior1 of the vcase centrally positioned between the hinges I5al and I'6. The other set of cooperating hinge plates 20, '2l are also attached by screws to the under face of the trap door I3, the pintles which connect them to lthe hinge plates I5a and 'I6 vbeing designated 22.

Formed centrally of the top portion I4 of the case IIJ is'a recess 23 into 'which extends downwardly into the case'a pairof oppositely arranged bracket arms 24 and 25, whoserightangularzportions 26 and v2'I are attached to the upper face -of this portion of Athe vcase by Vscrews 4or 'other Afasteners 28. Spanning the bracket varms 24, 25`is apivot pin 29, upon whichis operatively and swivellably mounted-a lever catch or latch 36 soon -to be described.

The'bracket `arms 24 Yand 25 form part-cfa rscaffold'or frame whichincludes the integral upright guide 4member 30 preferablyforme'd srquare in cross section, vwith its vrear wall 3I projecting above the guide proper 30, being formed here with an elongated polygonal slot 33.

The catch 36 is shaped so as to be balanced upon the pivot pin 29 upon which it is mounted for swinging movement. This catch has its center of gravity so located that normally it occupies the position shown in Figure 2. The catch 36 is formed with a rounded portion 3l concentric with pivot pin 29, which curves symmetrically-so as to join the stop arm 38 which is disposed between the pivot pin 29 and the lower point of the portion 37, in a manner to project diametrically opposite with respect to portion 31. The arm 38 has a straight edge or stop edge 39 which extends radially from the pivot pin 29 in a line that would bisect the curved portion 31 of the catch if produced to the periphery of the latter. The catch is also formed with another stop shoulder edge 40 in a plane at right angles to stop shoulder edge 39, approximately tangentially of the pivot pin 29 and on the same side relatively to pin 29 where stop shoulder arm 38 is located. A short curvilinear portion 4I of the periphery of this catch 36 joins the two stop shoulders.

For the purpose of latching the catch 36 in trap door holding position, I provide a weight 42, preferably square in cross section so as to be snugly guided for vertical movement in the guide 30 of the scaffold or frame. This weight 42 has formed thereupon an integral depending detent or lug 4I a which engages at against the stop shoulder edge 4D of the catch 36 in abutting relation thereagainst. This detent continues the straight edge 62 of the weight, so as to be with the latter slidably engageable with the adjacent wall of guide 30.

The weight 42 carries an eye 43, to which is linked an eye 44 formed at one end of a link arm 45, which has another eye 63 at its opposite end which is linked onto an eye 46 formed between the Vends of a trip lever 49, of bell crank formation.

This trip lever 49 has an integral angular arm 53, which has an eye 50 fulcrumed to swing upon a pivot pin I' secured in an upwardly inclined bracket arm of the scaffold,designated 52, Another eye is formed at the outer end of this angular arm 52, at 54, to which is loosely linked the eye 55 of a swinging shank 56 which carries the bait holding hook 51. It will be seen that the trip .lever operates just above the rectangular guide 39.

For the purpose of automatically restoring the trap door I3 to closed position, a counterweight is provided. This consists of a triangular shaped metal body 59 which tapers towards its inner end Where lit is formed with a rectangular lug 69 which is suitably attached by screws 6I to the `trap door along a center line thereof. It will be observed that the major portion of the heft of this counterweight extends over the outer portion of the top I2 of the case.

In the use and operation of this trap the normal set position is that shown in Figure 2 wherein the trap door I3 is held in a horizontal position by the catch 38. When the rodent pulls on the bait, lever 53 will be rocked downwardly and lever 49 will be raised thereby raising weight 42 and releasing catch 38 so that trap door I3 under the weight of the rodent may swing downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 Wherein catch 38 is in substantially a vertical depending position. When the rodent drops off of trap door I3 this door is gravitatingly swung up- Y wardly to a closed and set position by the weight 59. As door 3B swings upwardly the forward edge of this door will strike straight edge 40 of the catch which is in the path of the upward swinging of the door thereby rotating the catch clockwise until weight 42 drops downwardly in front of straight edge 4U to thereby lock the catch in its reset position. At the time the catch is in a released position this catch is held against rotation to the set position by frictional engagement of weight 42 on the curved edge 31 of the catch.

What I desire to claim is:

1. A rodent trap of the kind described comprising a case open at the top thereof, a trap door hingedly mounted on said case for closing said opening, a catch rockably. mounted on said case, a shoulder on said catch engaging said trap door for supporting said door in closed position, a detent slidably mounted on said case engaging said catch for holding said catch against rotation, a bait supporting lever on said case, means operatively connecting said detent with said lever for sliding said detent from said catch upon rocking of said lever by a rodent, whereby the weight of the rodent effects rocking of said trap door for dropping the rodent into the case and rocking said catch to releasing position, a counterbalance weight on said trap door for returning the door to closed position, a shoulder on said catch engageable with said trap door upon swinging to closed position for rocking said catch back to door engaging position, and a weight on said detent biasing said detent back into engagement with said latter shoulder for resetting the trap.

2. A rodent trap of the kind described comprising a case open at the top thereof, a trap door hingedly mounted on said case for closing said opening, a catch rockably mounted on said case, a shoulder on said catch engaging said trap door for suuporting said door in closed position, a detent slidably mounted on said case engaging said catch for holding said catch against rotation, a bait supporting lever on said case, means operatively connecting said detent with said lever for sliding said detent from said catch upon rocking of said lever by a rodent, whereby the weight of the rodent eiects rocking of said trap door for dropping the rodent into the case, and rocking REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 688,770 Cannon Dec. 10, 1901 1,463,874 Croyle Aug. 1, 1923 1,831,688 Snider Nov. l0, 1931 

